The present invention relates to a brake for in-line skates, and in particular, to a front brake which is difficult to unintentionally actuate yet provides a reliable braking force.
In-line skating has become increasingly popular. In many ways, it is similar to ice skating. Accordingly, playing hockey on in-line skates has also become popular. Standard in-line skates have a brake pad located at the heel of the skate. The brake is actuated by bending the knee of one leg and extending the other leg forward while rotating the toes upward and the heel downward as much as possible so that the brake will contact the ground. This is awkward for trying to stop or to hold one""s ground against being pushed, or for obtaining a quick start. It is also awkward and potentially will trip the skater if used to stop while going backwards. While one can perform a T-stop, such a stop will damage the wheels and would be difficult to engage while moving backwards.
It is also useful to turn the skate sideways to get a push start, as in ice skating. However, a push start cannot be initiated with one""s skates aligned. It is desirable to obtain a push start without turning the skate so that one can rapidly go from stopped to skating. It is also desirable to be able to stop safely while going backwards, and to be able to resist someone pushing the skater backwards. It is further desirable that such a brake be safe from causing the skater to trip over it when skating forwards. Such a brake would also be helpful in couples skating and for the novice skater.
Several attempts at brakes having some of these characteristics have been made. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,099 to Riutta discloses a braking system for use on the front or rear wheel of an in-line skate. The brake prevents reverse rotation of the wheel. Specifically, reverse rotation of the front wheel is prevented by a restraining member which is connected to the skate frame in the region above and behind the front wheel. The free end of the restraining member constantly bears against the front wheel and is equipped with teeth or serrations which frictionally engage the front wheel and which bite upon reverse rotation of the wheel. These teeth allow forward rotation of the front wheel. While this brake can provide a push start, the teeth can damage the wheel. In addition, although the teeth may not engage when the wheel is rotating forward, they can cause some drag on the wheel and may cause skidding and wheel damage. Furthermore, it is not possible to provide a controlled and variable braking force. Perhaps most importantly, this brake prevents reverse skating. Even if one could skate backwards somehow, when the brake is applied, it is abrupt and could cause skidding, damage to the wheel, and/or trip the skater.
A front wheel brake which is not activated during normal skating is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,011 to Nelson. The front wheel is spring-biased downward. There is a brake pad above it. There will be a braking force for forward or rearward skating by pressing down on the front wheel with sufficient force, whereupon the front wheel will contact the braking pad. The Nelson brake is activated by downward force only and thus has limited braking force for providing a push start or preventing rearward rotation. More importantly, when skating forward, if one tilted one""s foot, the brake could catch and trip the skater.
What is needed is a one-way brake which is not activated during normal skating, which can be applied with a variable force, and which is not cumbersome to use yet provides a secure braking force.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a safety brake for an in-line type of skate or other roller skate. The front wheel of the skate is elevated with respect to the line formed by the skating surface of the other wheels. It is biased forward by attachment to the skate frame by an elongated arm. A braking pad is located on the frame to the front of the wheel such that the rest position of the wheel is against the brake pad. When skating normally, whether skating forwards or backwards, the front wheel will not contact the ground and thus the brake will not be actuated. If the skater happens to lean forward while skating forward, frictional reaction force will tend to push the wheel toward the back of the skate, thus deactivating or reducing the brake force. When the skater wants a push start, or wants to get in a set position such as for contact, the skater leans forward and pushes backward on the skate. The front wheel is pushed forward with respect to the skate and is securely engaged by the brake pad.